Bus crash north of Albany kills 64-year-old woman (video)

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. -- A sports car spun out of control on a wet highway in Saratoga County midday Tuesday and was struck by a bus carrying college lacrosse players from Vermont that was sent toppling onto its side, police said.

State police said a 64-year-old woman who was a passenger in the red Porsche was killed and the 65-year-old man who was driving was hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

The Record of Troy, a sister newspaper of the Freeman's, reported the woman was from Saratoga Springs.

Four players on the bus were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

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The southbound crash happened shortly before noon Tuesday between Exits 10 and 9 on the Adirondack Northway in the town of Clifton Park, north of Albany.

State Police Lt. Greg Thomas said the bus was carrying 34 players, three coaches and a driver from St. Michael's College, a small Catholic liberal arts school in Colchester, Vt., to a game in Westchester County.

He said the bus landed on its side off the road after running into the Porsche, which ended up mangled on the highway's median.

Bob Urban, who was driving in front of the bus, told WNYT-TV of Albany that he saw the Porsche swerving across the three-lane highway.

"As I accelerated to clear him, he veered left again, causing his Porsche to spin out of control," the Clifton Park resident said. "When I looked up, I could see the bus was going to make impact. It was unavoidable. The bus had no other option."

Urban said the Porsche "shattered ... more like exploded" when it was hit.

A van also was damaged, hitting one of the other vehicles or debris, Thomas said. Its driver wasn't hurt.

The southbound lanes of the highway between Exits 10 and 9 remained closed indefinitely Tuesday afternoon, troopers said.

St. Michael's players wearing purple jackets and white shorts were taken on a local school bus to a nearby firehouse.

According to the college's website, the team is scheduled to play at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry on Wednesday afternoon.

"Everyone's OK. They're safe, they're happy," said interim head coach Pat Ivory, who took over the team after the Feb. 15 death of longtime head coach Paul Schimoler.

This was the team's first road trip of the season.

Ivory said he was sitting at the front of the bus when the crash happened, but he declined to comment on details, saying he'd leave that to police.

Ivory said the team would be talking with its opponents about whether to complete the trip. St. Michael's College also is scheduled to play Saturday at New York Tech.